Police K-9’s help sniff out $6,500 worth of marijuana along I-75

Williamsburg police confiscated nearly half a pound of marijuana valued at about $500 during a traffic stop late Sunday evening on I-75, according to Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson.

John Richard Dilley, 45, of Morriston, Florida, was arrested and charged with trafficking in marijuana over eight ounces but less than five pounds, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, reckless driving, no insurance and failure to wear seatbelt.

Williamsburg Police Officer Brandon White stopped the red Chevrolet about 9:15 p.m. Sunday near the 12-mile marker after Kentucky State Police Trooper Scott Bunch observed it heading north while speeding and failing to signal a lane change, according to an arrest citation.

After stopping the vehicle, White noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and called for assistance from K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt and his search dog, Rico, according to the arrest citation.

After Rico indicated the possible presence of drugs in the car, police found half a pound of marijuana inside along with scales, sandwich baggies, a plate with residue, a chopper and flavored cigar wraps, according to the arrest citation.

White’s investigation revealed that Dilley may have been in route to Kentucky or somewhere further north to deliver the marijuana to someone for resale and that he may have made a couple of deliveries prior to entering Kentucky, Jackson said.

"It’s very fortunate that we got him," Jackson said.

Dilley was the only occupant in the vehicle.

Four days earlier, a Kentucky State Police K-9 dog wasn’t fooled by an effort to conceal the smell of $6,000 worth of marijuana, some of which was found wrapped inside hamburger meat in a cooler Thursday afternoon during a routine traffic stop along I-75 in Whitley County.

About 1:50 p.m., KSP Sgt. Tackett Wilson observed a 1994 maroon Ford Explorer traveling north on I-75 with the driver not wearing his seatbelt and changing lanes without signaling, according to an arrest citation.

KSP Trooper Wendell Higginbotham, who was on "Click-It or Ticket" patrol in the area, also responded to the location, and determined that the driver’s operator’s license was suspended, according to a KSP press release.

Police received permission to search the vehicle, and a K-9 dog indicated that there was drug activity in the vehicle, according to an arrest citation.

"A search inside the car was conducted and a large amount of marijuana was discovered inside a bag of clothes and inside a cooler wrapped in hamburger meat," according to an arrest citation. "The driver and passenger both stated that there was approximately one pound of marijuana inside the vehicle."

According to a KSP press release, there was actually about three pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle.

Higginbotham charged driver Anthony W. DeBord, 35, and passenger Michelle L. Darnell, 39, both of Mount Orab, Ohio, with first-offense trafficking in marijuana over eight ounces but less than five pounds.

Darnell "repeatedly" told police that she was the owner of the marijuana, according to her arrest citation.

DeBord was also charged with failure to give a turn signal, failure to wear a seatbelt, operating on a suspended operator’s license and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Higginbotham is in charge of the investigation and was assisted by Wilson and KSP K-9 Officer Jason McGowan.

All three were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $7,500 cash bond, according to jail records.